Jump to content

Dell Comics

From Alfawiki
Dell Comics
Company typeDivision
IndustryComic books publishing
Founded1929
Defunct1973
FateDiscontinued; some series continued by Gold Key Comics
Area served
United States
Key people
Max Gaines, Sheldon Mayer, Helen Meyer (vice-president)
ProductsComic books, licensed properties
ParentDell Publishing

Dell Comics served as the comic book branch of Dell Publishing, which originally focused on pulp magazines. Functioning from 1929 until 1973, it established itself as a prominent American comic book publisher. By 1953, Dell had proclaimed itself the largest comics publisher worldwide, distributing an impressive 26 million copies each month.

Origins

The inaugural Dell publication, The Funnies (1929), was a 16-page, full-color magazine sold at newsstands and is recognized as an early example of the comic book format. This title appeared weekly for 36 issues until 1930, with its price varying from 10¢ to 30¢ before stabilizing at 5¢.

In 1933, Dell joined forces with Eastern Color Printing to produce Famous Funnies: A Carnival of Comics, widely regarded as the first genuine American comic book and a cornerstone in the industry's development. Distributed through Woolworth's retail outlets, the exact pricing approach for this release remains uncertain.

By early 1934, Dell issued Famous Funnies: Series 1, marking its transition from promotional giveaways to commercial sales.

In 1936, Dell entered into a collaboration with McClure Newspaper Syndicate, funding and distributing titles created by McClure under the leadership of executives Max Gaines and Sheldon Mayer. Gaines oversaw titles such as The Comics and Popular Comics before leaving in 1939 to found All-American Publications, which partnered with DC for distribution.

Western Publishing

A partnership formed in 1938 between Dell and Western Publishing involved Dell financing and distributing comics produced by Western. This integrated model—combining funding and distribution within one entity—yielded significant success, with numerous titles selling millions of copies. Most comics produced by Western for Dell were released under the Whitman Comics imprint (later adopted by Gold Key Comics), including key series like Crackajack Funnies (1938–1942) and Super Comics (1938–1949).

Comic historian Mark Carlson highlighted that by the mid-1950s, Dell commanded close to one-third of the comic book market share despite publishing only about 15% of all titles, boasting more million-copy sellers than any other publisher before or since.

Licensed material

Dell Comics focused heavily on licensed properties, collaborating with major entertainment studios such as Walt Disney Productions, Warner Bros., Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, and Walter Lantz Studio. Its catalog featured well-known movie and television characters including the Lone Ranger, Tarzan, Felix the Cat, Howdy Doody, Yogi Bear, and various Hanna-Barbera figures, strengthening its market position through these established franchises.

Four Color

Between 1938 and 1962, Dell's premier anthology series Four Color was published multiple times each month, releasing over 1,300 issues. This series primarily showcased standalone licensed stories and served as a testing ground for new titles. Several successful series launched in Four Color, such as The Twilight Zone, were later continued by Gold Key Comics, which emerged following Western’s separation from Dell.

Lil' Eightball

Following criticism from the African-American community regarding racial stereotypes, Dell removed the character Lil' Eightball—a figure criticized as a "grotesquely stereotypical black boy"—from the Lantz anthology comic New Funnies. The character’s last appearance occurred in August 1947, reflecting the company’s growing awareness of social sensitivities within its publications.

Fredric Wertham

In 1948, Dell chose not to join the newly formed Association of Comics Magazine Publishers, which was created to forestall government intervention amid growing criticism of comic books. Helen Meyer, Dell's vice-president, explained to Congress that the company avoided membership to prevent its more family-friendly titles from being associated with crime-themed comics. When the Comics Code was introduced in 1954 following Wertham's book Seduction of the Innocent, Dell again opted out, instead issuing a "Pledge to Parents" that emphasized their editorial process "eliminates, rather than regulates, objectional material," concluding with the statement "Dell Comics Are Good Comics."

Bart Beaty highlights Dell’s proactive opposition to Wertham's publication, involving licensed collaborators such as Warner Brother Cartoons and Edgar Rice Burroughs Inc. in protests directed at Wertham's publisher Stanley Rinehart. During this era, Dell bolstered its wholesome image by placing full-page advertisements in the Saturday Evening Post in late 1952 and early 1953.

Dell Comics Club and subscription promotions

Between mid-1950 and spring 1959, Dell marketed subscriptions for its non-Disney comics through the Dell Comics Club. A one-year subscription automatically granted membership, which included a certificate and a group portrait featuring popular non-Disney characters. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Dell implemented an assertive subscription campaign offering incentives such as cover prints and animation cels, as well as gift subscription options accompanied by illustrated notes tailored for occasions like birthdays and Christmas.

Longer-term subscriptions were also offered; for example, Walt Disney's Comics and Stories provided terms up to five years during the 1940s, fostering ongoing reader loyalty and steady revenue.

Alternate format

In 1961, Dell released two distinctive comic-book style paperbacks—The Flintstones on the Rocks and Huck & Yogi Jamboree—each priced at one dollar, considerably above standard comic book prices. These extended-length, uncolored editions were aimed at adult enthusiasts, representing a specialized market approach.

Western partnership ends, Dell declines

In 1961, Dell became the first comic book publisher to increase cover prices to fifteen cents before later reducing them back to twelve cents. The following year marked the conclusion of its alliance with Western; Western retained most licensed properties along with original content and launched Gold Key Comics.

Although many creators moved over to Gold Key, Dell kept talents such as John Stanley and brought in new artists including Frank Springer and Don Arneson. Dell persisted in publishing licensed adaptations from television and film—like Mission: Impossible, Ben Casey, and Doctor Kildare—in addition to original series that generally received negative critiques.

Among notable long-running titles were Thirteen Going on Eighteen (29 issues), Ghost Stories (37 issues), Combat (40 issues), and Ponytail (20 issues). Dell also ventured into superhero comics with titles like Nukla, Superheroes featuring the Fab 4, and Brain Boy, as well as an unsuccessful trio based on Universal monster characters reimagined as superheroes.

Dell Comics discontinued publication in 1973, with several series transitioning to Gold Key Comics.

Corporate acquisitions

In 1976, Doubleday acquired Dell. Subsequently, in 1986, Bertelsmann purchased Doubleday and established Bantam Doubleday Dell as its American subsidiary. Bertelsmann further strengthened its foothold in the US publishing market by acquiring Random House in 1998 and rebranding its US operations accordingly. Following this, Dell Publishing was merged into Bantam.

Random House expanded its portfolio in 2001 by acquiring the publishing assets of Golden Books, effectively reuniting components of Dell and Western Publishing. By 2008, Bantam Dell was integrated into the Random House group. This consolidation continued with the 2010 merger of Ballantine Books and Bantam Dell. The process culminated in 2013 when Random House combined with Penguin to create Penguin Random House, significantly increasing their global market presence and operational scale within the publishing sector.

Fan revivals

Following the discontinuation of Dell's publications, several of its lesser-known characters experienced a resurgence through independent comic productions. In August 2016, InDELLible Comics was launched to celebrate public domain characters originally published by Dell but later abandoned. Their debut issue, All-New Popular Comics #1, released in July 2017, achieved top rankings within its category on Amazon. The publication was founded and edited by Jim Ludwig, David Noe, and Dærick Gröss Sr., featuring both original narratives and classic Dell figures.

#

  • 1000 Jokes issues #14–129 (1938–May 1969)
  • 12 O'Clock High issues #1–2 (March–April 1965)
  • 6 Black Horses (January 1963)
  • 87th Precinct issue #2 (July-September 1962)

A

  • Abraham Lincoln Life Story issue #1 (March 1958)
  • Adlai Stevenson (December 1966)
  • Adventures of Mighty Mouse issues #144–155 (October 1959–September 1962)
  • Air War Stories issues #1–8 (November 1964–August 1966)
  • Alley Oop issues #1–2 (December 1962–November 1963)
  • Alvin and the Chipmunks issues #1–28 (October 1962–October 1973)
  • Alvin and His Pals in Merry Christmas with Clyde Crashup and Leonardo (December 1963–February 1964)
  • Alvin for President issue #1 (August-October 1964)
  • America in Action issue #1 (Winter 1945)
  • Animal Comics issues #1–30 (1942–December 1947)
  • Around the Block with Dunc and Loo issues #1–3 (October-December 1961–April-June 1962)
  • Around the World Under the Sea (December 1966)

B

  • Bachelor Father issue #2 (September-November 1962)
  • Barbie and Ken issues #1–5 (May 1962–November 1963)
  • Barry M. Goldwater (March 1965)
  • Bat Masterson issues #2–9 (February 1960–January 1962)
  • Battle of the Bulge (June 1966)
  • Beach Blanket Bingo (September 1965)
  • Beany and Cecil issues #1–5 (July 1962–September 1963)
  • The Beatles (September-November 1964)
  • Beep Beep – The Road Runner issues #4–14 (February-April 1960–October 1962)
  • Ben Casey issues #1–10 (July 1962–August 1965)
  • Beetle Bailey issues #5–38 (February-April 1956–May-July 1962)
  • The Beverly Hillbillies issues #1–21 (April 1963–October 1971)
  • Bewitched issues #1–14 (April 1965–October 1969)
  • The Big Valley issues #1–6 (June 1966–October 1969)
  • The Blue Phantom (June-August 1962)
  • Bon Voyage! (December 1962)
  • Bonanza (May-July & August-October 1962)
  • Bozo the Clown issues #2–7 (July-September 1951–October-December 1962)
  • Bozo: The World's Most Famous Clown issues #1–4 (May-July 1962–October-December 1963)
  • The Brady Bunch issues #1–2 (February-May 1970)
  • Brain Boy issues #2–6 (September 1962–November 1963)
  • Brenda Starr, Reporter issue #1 (October 1963)
  • Buck Jones issues #2–8 (April-June 1951–October-December 1952)
  • Buffalo Bill, Jr. issues #7–13 (April 1958–October 1959)
  • Bugs Bunny issues #28–85 (December 1952-January-1953 – July-September 1962)
  • Bugs Bunny's Christmas Funnies issues #1–9 (November 1950 – December 1958)
  • Bugs Bunny's Christmas Party issue #6 (November 1955)
  • Bugs Bunny's County Fair issue #1 (September 1957)
  • Bugs Bunny's Halloween Parade issues #1–2 (October 1953 – October1954)
  • Bugs Bunny's Trick 'N' Treat Halloween Fun issues #3–4 (October1955 – October1956)
  • Bugs Bunny's Vacation Funnies issues #1–9 (July1951 –1959)
  • Bullwinkle (July-September 1962)
  • The Bullwinkle Mother Moose Nursery Pomes (May-July 1962)
  • Burke's Law issues #1-3 (May 1964-March 1965)

C

D

  • Daffy Duck issues #4–30 (January-March 1956–July-September 1962)
  • Daktari issues #1–4 (July 1967–October 1969)
  • David Ladd's Life Story (October-December 1962)
  • Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier issue #1 (September 1955)
  • Dazey's Diary issue #1 (June-August 1962)
  • The Defenders issues #1–2 (November 1962–April 1963)
  • Dell Giant issues #21–55 (September 1959–September 1962)
  • Dell Junior Treasury issues #1–10 (January 1955–October 1957)
  • Die, Monster, Die! (March 1966)
  • The Dirty Dozen (October 1967)
  • Disneyland Birthday Party issue #1 (October 1958)
  • Diver Dan issue #2 (June–August 1962)
  • Donald and Mickey in Disneyland issue #1 (May 1958)
  • Donald Duck issues #26–84 (November 1952–September-November 1962)
  • Donald Duck Album issue #1 (May-July 1962)
  • Donald Duck Beach Party issues #1–6 (July 1954–August 1959)
  • Donald Duck Fun Book (1953–October 1954)
  • Donald Duck in Disneyland issue #1 (September 1955)
  • Dr. Kildare issues #2—9 (July-September 1962—April-June 1965)
  • Dr. Who and the Daleks comic adaptation (#December 1966)
  • Dracula comics (#October-December 1962; November 66-March 67)
  • Drift Marlo (#June-December 1962)
  • Dunc and Loo (#July-August 62-October-December 63)
  • Dwight D. Eisenhower (#December 1969)

E

F

  • F-Troop issues #1–7 (August 1966–August 1967)
  • The F.B.I. (April–June 1965)
  • Fairy Tale Parade issues #1–9 (June 1942–January 1944)
  • Famous Indian Tribes issues #1–2 (September 1962–July 1972)
  • Famous Stories issues #1–2 (1942)
  • Felix the Cat issues #1–12 (September 1962–September 1965)
  • Flash Gordon issue #2 (May–July 1953)
  • The Flintstones issues #2–6 (December 1961–July 1962)
  • The Flintstones on the Rocks (1961)
  • The Flying A's Range Rider issues #2–24 (June 1953–December 1958)
  • The Flying Nun issues #1–4 (February–November 1968)
  • Flying Saucers Comics issues #1–5 (April 1967–October 1969)
  • Follow the Sun issues #1–2 (July–November 1962)
  • Four Color series 1, issues #1–25 (July 1939–1942)
  • Four Color series 2, issues #1–1354 (June 1942–April 1962)
  • Frankenstein (March-May 1963)
  • Frankenstein issues #2–4 (September 1966–March 1967)
  • Freddy issues #1–3 (May-July 1963–December 1964)
  • Friday Foster issue #1 (October 1972)
  • The Frogmen issues #2–11 (May 1962–January 1965)
  • The Funnies, series one, issues #1–36 (April 1929–October 1930)
  • The Funnies, series two, issues #1–64 (October 1936–May 1942)
  • Fury (June-August 1962)

G

H

I

  • I Dream of Jeannie issues #1–2 (April–December 1966)
  • I Love Lucy issues #3–35 (August 1954–April 1962)
  • I'm Dickens, He's Fenster issues #1–2 (July–October 1963)
  • Idaho issues #1–8 (July 1963–September 1965)
  • The Incredible Mr. Limpet (August 1964)
  • Indian Chief issues #3–33 (September 1951–January 1959)
  • Iron Horse issues #1–2 (March–June 1967)
  • Ivanhoe issue #1 (September 1963)

J

K

L

  • Lady and the Tramp issue #1 (June 1955)
  • Lancelot and Guinevere (October 1963)
  • Large Feature Comics issues #1–27 (March 1942 –1943)
  • Lassie issues #1–58 (October 1950 – July 1962)
  • Laurel and Hardy series run August to October 1962
  • Laurel and Hardy issues #2–4 (March – November 1963)
  • Lawman issues #3-11 (February 1960 – April 1962)
  • Lawrence of Arabia adaptation from August 1963
  • Leave It to Beaver published May to July of 1962
  • The Legend of Custer, issue #1 released in January of 1968
  • The Lieutenant, issue #1 spanning April to June of 1964
  • Life Stories of American Presidents, issue number one published November of 1957
  • Linda Lark, with issues numbered one through eight from October '61 to October '63
  • Lion of Sparta, an adaptation related to The 300 Spartans#Other adaptions, issued January '63
  • Little Beaver, covering numbers three through eight between October '51 and March '53
  • Little Iodine spanning fifty issues from March '50 through December '60
  • Little Lulu, a lengthy run from issue one to one hundred sixty-four between January '48 and September '62 — later continued by Western and others
    • Little Lulu and Her Friends, issue number four released in March '56
    • Little Lulu and Her Special Friends, issue three from March '55
    • Little Lulu and Tubby at Summer Camp appeared in numbers two and five during October '57 and October '58 respectively
    • Little Lulu on Vacation, issue one from July '54
    • Little Lulu Tubby Annual with two editions in March '53 and March '54
  • Little Orphan Annie, covering three issues from March through November '48
  • The Little Scouts appearing in numbers two through six between October '51 and December '52
  • The Littlest Snowman released between December '63 and February '64
  • Lobo, with two editions appearing December '65 through October '66
  • Lolly and Pepper, a single issue spanning May to July '62
  • The Lone Ranger comic book series running from issue one through one hundred forty-five between January '48 and July '62
    • The Lone Ranger Movie Story published in March '56
    • The Lone Ranger's Companion Tonto appeared in thirty-three editions from August '51 through January '59
    • The Lone Ranger's Famous Horse Hi-Yo Silver ran from issue three to thirty-six between July '52 and December '60
    • The Lone Ranger's Golden West was released as issue three in August '55
    • The Lone Ranger's Western Treasury comprised two editions during September '53 to August '54
  • Looney Tunes comics issued numbers one hundred sixty-six through two hundred forty-six from August '55 to September '62
    • Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies Comics ran from number one through one hundred sixty-five between the years nineteen forty-one until July nineteen fifty-five
  • Ludwig Von Drake print appearances spanned four editions from November ’63 through June ’64
  • Lulu and Alvin Storytelling Time featured a single release in March ’59
    • Lulu and Tubby Halloween Fun appeared as numbers two and six in October ’57 and October ’58 respectively
    • Lulu and Tubby in Alaska had an edition released in July ’59
    • Lulu and Tubby in Japan was published during May to July ’62
  • Lyndon B. Johnson, issued once in March ’65

M

N

O

  • Operation Bikini (Oct 1963)
  • Operation Crossbow (Dec 1965)
  • Our Gang Comics #1-59 (Oct 1942 – Jun 1949)
  • Outer Limits #1-18 (Mar 1963 – Oct 1969)

P

  • Peanuts #4-13 (Feb 1960 – May 1962)
  • Perry Mason #1-2 (Jun–Aug & Oct–Dec 1964)
  • Peter Pan Treasure Chest #1 (Jan 1953)
  • Petticoat Junction #1-5 (Dec 1964 – Oct 1965)
  • Pixie and Dixie and Mr. Jinks #1 (May–Jul 1962)
  • Pogo Possum #1-16 (Dec 1949 – Jun 1954)
  • Pogo Parade #1 (Sep 1953)
  • Ponytail #1-12 (Sep 1962 – Dec 1965)
  • Popeye #1-65 (Feb–Apr 1948; Jul–Sep 1962)
  • Popular Comics #1-145 (Feb 1936 – Sep 1948)
  • Porky Pig #25-81 (Dec 1952 – Apr 1962)
  • Prince and the Pauper (May–Jul 1962)
  • Private Secretary #1-2 (Dec–Feb 1963; Mar–May 1963)

Q

  • Queen of the West — Dale Evans #3-22 (Jul 1954 – Mar 1959)
  • Quick Draw McGraw #2-11 (Apr–Jun 1960; Jul 1962)

R

  • Raggedy Ann and Andy Series One: #1-39 (Jun 1946 – Aug 1949); Series Two: #1-4 (Dec 1964 – Mar 1966); One-shot: Feb 1955
  • Rango #1 (Aug 1967)
  • Rat Patrol #1-6 (Mar 1967 – Oct 1969)
  • Raven (Sep 1963)
  • Rawhide (Jun–Aug 1962)
  • Real McCoys (May 1962)
  • Red Ryder #1-151 (Sep 1940 – Jun 1957)
  • Rex Allen #2-31 (Sep–Nov 1951; Dec 1958 – Feb 1959)
  • Rifleman #2-12 (Jan 1960 – Jul 1962)
  • Rin Tin Tin #4-38 (May 1953 – Jul 1961)
  • Ring of Bright Water (Oct 1969)
  • Robin Hood (May–Jul 1963)
  • Robinson Crusoe (Nov 1963 – Jan 1964)
  • Room 222 #1-4 (Jan 1970 – Jan 1971)

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Dell_Comics&oldid=8382"